Closed-door negotiations appear to have broken a deadlock in forming a new Dutch government

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Two days of closed-doors talks between four Dutch political leaders appear to have forced a breakthrough in negotiations to form a new ruling coalition. Talks have been going on for nearly four months, since a general election won by the far right party of anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders. While the exact contours of a new coalition Cabinet remain unclear, Kim Putters, who led the talks, believes that the parties are now ready to hammer out a deal. Putters is writing up a report Wednesday that he will present to lawmakers on Thursday. He says he expects the four parties to “take the next step in the Cabinet formation.”